Floating signal light



Jan. 9, 1945.

M. P. PFEIL FLOATING SIGNAL LIGHT Filed OCT. 31, 1942 Izgu Z INVENTOR. MELVIN P. PFEIL.

A TORNEY.

This"inventionrelatestoa floating signal light o'fsmall roportions which can be carried for I .1 I asespzilf I. I nemas sIGNArl new" {Mata am n, emulate, Ohio U Application ct0ber31, ism {serial1%.?441124: scams. (c1.

emergenciesin the eventof a wreck at sea. The

lightisso arranged thatjit can beattached by a cord to the users life belt orraft; and arranged to float substantially. in a vertical position to identify his position at night to searching planes.

At the present time, a person wrecked at sea has very: little chance ofybeing' foundat night, but

with my improvement, he'can set out one or'more lights and even if i he becomes unconscious;

for him can more readily locate planes searching hislposition. i I

The object of my invention is to provide a compact signal light with means for extendingthe casing to provide an air compartment to float the device. I

A further objecti ingthe light. i

yA still further object is to with an air compartment and a battery compartment and means whereby said battery. comparte to provide means for anchor provide the light.

ment is received in said air compartment when,

the light is not in use.

A still -furthergxobject is to provide mean for automatically illuminating the light upon extension of the battery compartment and to extinguish the light upon retraction of the battery compartment.

My invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims and from the drawing, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of my ime proved device, with the battery compartment re- I ceived within the air compartment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in extended position for use.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken in the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the lamp supporting disc.

My improved floating light comprises a tubular housing II provided with upper internal threads I2 extending upwardly from a rabbet I3. The lower end of the housing II is provided with internal threads I4 arranged to receive a battery housing I5. The battery housing I5 is provided with spaced apart external threads I6 and I! arranged to mate with the internal threads I4.

The battery compartment I5 is arranged to receive a standard dry cell battery I8. The battery housing I5 is provided with a pair of contact members I9 and on the upper face thereof, being secured thereto as by rivets 2I and 22. The rivet 22 also secures an internal contact member 23--within the battery. compartment for forming a contact with a cup 24 secured in a cap 25 which is threaded to the lowerend of the battery compartment. -A spring26 within the cup'24 forms an electrical connection betweenthe base of the battery and the cup.

I Secured within the outer housing I I are a pair of vertical contact strips 30 secured to the. hous- Irl. are. in engagement with the threads I4.

.rAlamp mountingdisc is held in the. rabbet- I3 and has a pair of contact strips36 andl3I. se-

cured thereto forming contacts with the upper.

ends of the bars 30. Thebars are suitably insulated from each otherto form an electrical con-. nection to thelamp socket and the lamp con-:.

tact. As lamp 40. is. received in the socket .38. A; lens II is threaded into the upper end ofthe housing I I .having a gasket 42 interposed between the peripheral fiange 43 of the lens and the. up-

ner margin of thehousing II to form awatere. tightgseal between tthe lens and. housing. .The;

. lens also maintains the lamp mounting disc in position.

The major portion of the outerperiphery of the housing II is recessed as at 44 to provide for the attachment and winding of the cord 45 thereabout. Suitable gaskets 4B and 41 and-48 are provided to form water proof seals between the battery housing and the cap and between the battery housing and the outer casing in its retracted or extended position.

When the battery housing is received within the housing II as shown in Fig.1, the electrical contacts between the batteryand the lamp are separated preventing operation of the lamp. However, when it is desired to use the floating signal, the battery compartment is rotated to I disengage the threads I6 from the threads I4.

The battery housing is drawn outwardly and a the threads I'I engaged with the threads I4 until the peripheral flange 50 on the battery housing seals against the gasket 48 at which time contacts I9 and 20 will contact the respective strips .30 completing an electrical connection from the 5| of the battery through the rivet 2I, contact member I9, the strip.3ll, contact member 36, to

Having thus fully described my invention ters Patent, is:

1. A floating signal light comprising a lamp, a lens over said lamp, a battery "comwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letpartment, a battery in said compartment, means onsaid battery compartment for locking said.

compartment within said casing, and further means on said-battery compartment for positioning said compartment in extended relation with said casing and means for formingan electrical connection between said battery and said lamp when said battery'compartment is extended.

2. A floating signal light comprising a lamp housing, a lamp'supported in'said housing, a battery housing, a battery-in said housing, means for securing said battery housing within said lamprhousing, means for, securing said battery housing: in extended relation to said lamp housing, andm'eans on said housings for forming an electrical connection between said lamp'and battery when said'housings are in extended'relation.

'3. A floating signal light comprising a a; pair of telescoping members arranged to be telescoped orextende'd', a battery in-one'of said members, a light in the-other member; and means' for forming a-waterproofseal between said members in both telescoped and extended positions.

4. A floating signal light comprising aipair of telescoping members arranged to be telescoped or extended; a battery :in one of *said members,

to provide means of I it a casing,

a light in the other member, means for forming a waterproof seal between said members in both telescoped and extended positions, and electrical connections between said battery and light for automatically illuminating said light upon extension of said members.

. 5. A floating signal light comprising a sealable air compartment, a battery compartment, spaced threaded portions on said battery compartment, and a cooperating ,threaded portion in, said air icompartment whereby/said battery compartment can be inserted in said air compartment or extended therefrom.

"6. A floating signal light comprising a sealable.airfcorripartment, the major portion of the outer peripheryof said compartment recessed,

"a batterycompartment, spaced threaded portions on said battery compartment, a cooperating threaded portion in said air compartment whereby said battery compartment can be in serted in'said air compartment or extended. therefrom,-and a cord wrapped around said :air compartment recess extendable forxuse.

7. 'A floating signal light-comprisingaiseal-' able air compartment,=a battery compartment,

spaced uthreaded portions on said battery compartment, a cooperating threaded zportion said air compartment whereby :said 'battery :compartment can be inserted -in said aircomp'artment or -extendedtherefrom, and a lam-pbompartment above said air compartment.

:8. vA floating signal light 'cornprisingapair .of casings, a lamp attached to one of saidgeasings, a battery in thez-otherfcasing, electrical-"connections in said casings, said battery teasing :having spaced threaded -portions thereon, said other casing provided with internal threads -errg-age-" ablewithz'either "threaded portiona'of saidlbattery casing forsecuring said casings inwextended or "telescoped" relation "to each other; and said electrical conn'ections forming a 'cir'cuit between said? lamp and batterywhen saidcasings are in extended position.

2: mmnvm: Pg PF EIL. 

